.41 Mag - 215-gr. LSW load recommendations?

Have shot several hundred bullets, both jacketed and cast, into water filled jugs...I can't remember any non-HP bullet ever doing anything more than riveting a little. The Remington 210 grain Soft-Point is running 1250 fps from a 4" barrel...the lead is pretty soft and it just deformed the nose and that was after running into the soft body armor after going through 5 jugs of water... If you have some pictures of cast bullets that have expanded I would love to see them and know how fast they were going on impact...

Bob

Way back machine times...a company made molds that used a front portion and a back portion. I had one in a 235 gr 44 cal when put together. Soft lead for the nose...hard for the body...then I had a Forster?? hollowpoint tool. Driven with 19 gr I think of 2400 they would expand...very well. I didn't use many. They were time consuming and they leaded the bore somewhat. FC and bbl fit were probably off...but that was years ago and I wasn't quite up to snuff on casting. I also had some of the molds that you cast bullets with zinc washers in the base...in fact still have a couple. You could use pretty soft lead with the washers in place. I used quite a few of them and when pushed pretty hard they would expand/mushroom. One of those molds is a Hensley & Gibbs 4 cavity for 45 auto. never really used it cause who pushes 45 auto that hard? The others were 357 nd 44 molds and I did use them. The MP molds I have are slowly being sold as I no longer cast many bullets. Most of the one I have left are new 2 cavity brass and the fellow made some works of art in my opinion. The Penta HPs will expand at least a bit in higher velocity ranges
 
I started to reply to this thread the other day, knowing I couldn't talk about Unique, and was going to detail my favorite load. But then I realized that wasn't on the approved list either.

Today, while pulling out some of my books, I realized I had a copy of the specific 41 manual. Data for 2400 was the preferred powder on my book's list.

14.2 = 835 fps, 19,600 cup.
18.8 = max = 1272 fps, 37,000 cup.

That was for a Lyman 215 SWC

====================

Other data listed was for a 215 LFP:

CFE
7.1 = 1102 = 17,500
8.2 = max = 1229 = 23,200

Autocomp
7.0 = 1052 = 18,100
8.0 = max = 1158 = 23,600
 
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Ok...with a 215 LSWC I have used H110 and 2400...

H110...start at 20 grains and work up...probably to the 22 grain area...magnum primer and heavy crimp. I usually use Winchester LP primers with H110 loads.

2400...start at 15.5 and work up to 17 maybe 17.5...same as above...

AUTOCOMP...no hands on but from looking at the data in LoadData.com you can start at 7.0 and work up to somewhere around 9.5...

Have a friend who has killed a lot of deer with .41 Magnums using a 230 SWC and either 8.0 grains of UNIQUE or 17-17.5 grains of 2400... His last deer was a 212 grain Keith HP with 8.0 grains of UNIQUE...

With a cast SWC you won't get any expansion...just a hole...be ready to do some tracking...

And GT Bullets has cast HP bullets at a very reasonable price...much better for lung shots on deer than solids....

Bob


Bob:
Any idea about your muzzle velocity with these loads? I've finally got pretty much a whole weekend to monkey around with this and I'm headed to the range with some test ammo using 8.0 grs of CFE Pistol behind the 215-grainers. Remington primers, mixed brass.

Thx!!!!!

Dave W.
 
Dave...

Most of my H110/.41 loads are lead bullets 250 grains plus but do have a couple...

212 Grain Keith bullet from Linotype metal
22.0 H110
Ruger Redhawk 5.5": 1330 fps
S&W 57 6": 1285 fps

Leadhead 230 grain Keith
22.0 H110
Gary Reeder Custom SBH 5.5": 1380 fps


Am not a big user of 2400...do have this one load..

MP 212 grain PentaPoint
15.0/2400
S&W 657 4': 1130 fps

Hope this helps...Bob
 
Way back machine times...a company made molds that used a front portion and a back portion. I had one in a 235 gr 44 cal when put together. Soft lead for the nose...hard for the body...then I had a Forster?? hollowpoint tool. Driven with 19 gr I think of 2400 they would expand...very well. I didn't use many. They were time consuming and they leaded the bore somewhat. FC and bbl fit were probably off...but that was years ago and I wasn't quite up to snuff on casting. I also had some of the molds that you cast bullets with zinc washers in the base...in fact still have a couple. You could use pretty soft lead with the washers in place. I used quite a few of them and when pushed pretty hard they would expand/mushroom. One of those molds is a Hensley & Gibbs 4 cavity for 45 auto. never really used it cause who pushes 45 auto that hard? The others were 357 nd 44 molds and I did use them. The MP molds I have are slowly being sold as I no longer cast many bullets. Most of the one I have left are new 2 cavity brass and the fellow made some works of art in my opinion. The Penta HPs will expand at least a bit in higher velocity ranges

Both Lyman and LBT made two piece molds back in the day. They are really tough to find.
 
Here's two I used to use in my S&W Model 57 (long before I owned a chronograph).

Bullet: Leadhead 230 gr. Keith SWC
Powder: Hodgdon H-110 19.3 grs.
Primer: Winchester Large Pistol
Case: Starline

Bullet: H&G #258 220 gr. Keith SWC (Linotype/RCBS Green Lube)
Powder: Hercules 2400 18.5 grs.
Primer: CCI-300
Case: W-W


04-E2822-E-514-E-459-F-BB80-F56-E27351-ADD.jpg
 
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